Best bottled dressings and recipes to make at home

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Summer is salad time, and supermarkets have shelf after shelf of salad dressings. How to choose?

The biggest sellers are Hidden Valley and Kraft, but Consumer Reports found tastier options.

They tested and rated 50 bottles of America's favorite Italian, ranch, and Caesar dressings.

"We look for dressings that are well-blended and have fresh tasting ingredients," said Consumer Reports tester Ellen Klosz.

Some are not so hot. The lowest-rated dressings have stale off-notes or harsh flavors.

For example, Kraft Classic Caesar is overwhelmed by black pepper, and Whole Foods 365 Organic Caesar is quite sour with a thin texture.

"There are many different types of recipes for Caesar dressing, but it definitely should have Parmesan cheese, and it can have garlic and eggs, and mustard, and even a little citrus," Klosz said.

One of the best Caesar dressings is Marie's Creamy, according to testers. It's is somewhat like ranch dressing, but it's balanced, with high-quality ingredients.

Trader Joe's Caesar is a bit like a vinaigrette, with cheese, plus black-pepper and citrus flavors.

Ken's Steak House came out on top for Italian dressings. It did well because it has a simple and clean taste-no harsh, dehydrated notes-and a very slight garlic flavor. It separates quickly, so you'll need to give it a good shake before you pour.

Olive Garden's Italian is flavorful but quite salty. It has cheese and herb flavors and slight citrus.

America's favorite dressing of all is ranch, and Consumer Reports' testers found five they rated very good.

Two from Walmart are best buys - Great Value Classic and Great Value Classic Light, with half the fat. They're both 10 cents a serving. They're well-balanced with subtle herb flavors and a taste like that of real buttermilk. Light dressings, which have about half the calories and less than half the fat of the regular versions, generally don't taste nearly as good as regular, but Walmart's Great Value Classic Light Ranch is an exception. It's fairly well balanced, with some buttermilk flavors.

Other ranch favorites were Marie's and Hidden Valley. Marie's has real buttermilk, oregano and dill flavors, plus a slight mustard impression. Hidden Valley has a clean, real dairy flavor.

To keep your salad on the healthy side, add a little dressing at a time, mix, and taste. You'll be surprised how little you need for a great tasting salad.

But the best salad dressings are homemade. None of the 50 bottled dressings came close to the dressings made in the Consumer Reports test kitchen.

It is really simple to make a delicious dressing. Putting a few ingredients in a bottle and shaking them up - what could be easier? It may take a few minutes of preparation, and the cost may be about the same as that of bottled dressing if you use high-quality ingredients.

The Consumer Reports test kitchen came up with these recipes for three classic dressings that you can recreate at home.

Italian dressing

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil

1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in fresh herbs and cheese. Makes cup; serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 200 calories, 21 grams fat, and 85 milligrams sodium.

Caesar dressing

2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; process for 30 seconds or until well blended. Makes 3 cups; serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 180 calories, 19 grams fat, and 230 milligrams sodium.

Classic ranch dressing

1 clove minced garlic

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley, dill, and chives

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, Worcestershire, and vinegar. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk. Mix well. Stir in chopped herbs. Chill. Makes 2 cups; serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 100 calories, 9 grams fat, and 105 milligrams sodium.